1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to radio frequency identification devices. The invention more particularly concerns the radio frequency identification of a connector by a patch panel.
2. Discussion of the Background
Radio frequency identification devices (RFID) are known in the art. Typically, radio frequency identification systems incorporate an antenna or coil, a transceiver (with decoder), and a transponder (RF tag). Often times the antenna and the transceiver are packaged together so as to form a reader or interrogator. The transponder includes a transponder antenna and an integrated circuit chip attached to the transponder antenna. The antenna or coil emits a radio wave which induces an electrical current in the antenna of the transponder. The electrical current then activates the integrated circuit chip of the transponder. The integrated circuit chip can then transmit information through the antenna of the transponder via radio waves back to the antenna or coil. Information can be stored on the integrated circuit as either read only memory or read/write memory.
Radio frequency identification devices can be either active or passive. An active system includes a transponder which contains its own power source. In contrast, in a passive system the transponder obtains the energy from the radio waves emanating from the antenna or coil so as to enable the transponder to operate and transmit information. A transponder operating in accordance with the active system is able to transmit information to the antenna or coil over a greater distance than is a transponder operating in accordance with the passive system. However, the transponder operating in accordance with the active system is larger than the transponder operating in accordance with the passive system. Furthermore, typically transponders operating in accordance with the passive system contain integrated circuit chips that have read only memory. Examples of radio frequency identification components are presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,206,626; 5,448,110; 6,118,379; 6,147,655; 6,424,263; 6,429,831; 6,445,297; 6,451,154; and 6,677,917. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,206,626; 5,448,110; 6,118,379; 6,147,655; 6,424,263; 6,429,831; 6,445,297; 6,451,154; and 6,677,917 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Connectors and panels or patch panels are also known in the art. Known connectors include fiber optic connectors and electrically conductive connectors. An electrically conductive connector can be attached to electrically conductive cable such as copper based cable, or the electrical conductive connector can be integrated into a device such as an optoelectronic device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,063 discloses electrical connectors and cables, and an optoelectronic device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,063 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector 120 attached to an electrically conductive cable 122. Also shown is a complementary receptacle 130 into which the electrical connector 120 mates. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another version of an electrical connector 140. The connector 140 is shown from a first perspective and a second perspective. FIG. 2 also discloses another version of a complementary receptacle 150. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an optoelectronic device 160 which includes a fiber optic connector 170 and an electrical connector 180. The background material provided below concentrates on fiber optic connectors.
The front panel of a host device has many receptacles. Each receptacle accepts at least an individual fiber optic cable. The other end of the fiber optic cable connects to another device. The fiber optic cable can have a length of a few meters or of a few kilometers. A host device can accommodate a few hundred fiber optic cables. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,233,674, and 5,481,634 disclose a fiber optic cable having a fiber optic connector. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,233,674, and 5,481,634 are hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fiber optic cable 30 having a fiber optic connector 10. Attached to the fiber optic connector 10 is a strain relief boot 20. Formed as part of the optic connector is a release lever 40. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fiber optic cable 30 of FIG. 4 taken from another angle where a ferrule 50 is exposed. The fiber optic connector 10 conforms to the LC style of fiber optic connectors.
Experience has shown that a fiber optic cable can be inadvertently detached from the host device, or that the optical fiber within the fiber optic cable breaks and the fiber optic cable no longer transmits light energy to the host device. In such instances, a worker must go and look at the panel of the host device and determine which cable is no longer transmitting light signals to the host device either because the optical fiber is broken or the fiber optic cable is detached from the host device. When two or more fiber optic cables are malfunctioning, the worker's job becomes very burdensome and time consuming since there are hundreds of fiber optic cables to examine. Furthermore, a device or person is not receiving information conveyed by the malfunctioning fiber optic cable. Thus, organization of the cables, including the fiber optic cables and the copper based cables, in the vicinity of the panel is of great interest to the operators of the host devices.